Communications companies - Comcast, Time Warner, Cox Cable, ATT etc - currently can purchase franchises which give them near monopoly power over their customers. The inability of other companies to operate in a franchised area eliminates competition, allows costs to increase without opposition and encourages collusion to prevent one company's entry into another company's territory, The result has been slower internet speeds and higher prices than in most first world countries and constantly increasing television prices based on arbitrary additions of redundant channels in a system where the public has no equivalent alternative.



